Chronicling Europe & The Baltics 2018 – Helsinki Modern Diversity

A Little Romance

Just like the cruises themselves, we as a couple tend to pack a lot into international travels. These trips ironically due to DK’s planning often take place around our anniversary. We’ve managed to celebrate more than one of these milestones as we’ve seen the world. It’s always nice to fit a little romance in while at work and on vacation.

I’m glad to have a husband that understands that my writing work travels with me wherever I go. Fortunately for me, his creativity kicks in on these trips and we both get to work and play. While in Helsinki we got the chance to combine our love for jazz with exploring the city. Rick Braun, Aubrey Logan, the UK Collective, and Rick Marcel provided exceptional onboard entertainment.

The city offered its own inspiration for romantic experiences. In our downtime, we found a terrific café for coffee and dessert. On the tour, we’d learned a lot about the delicious chocolates that locals enjoy. Including these with our treats was a definite no-brainer. Sitting outside and watching the world go by together…is my definition of romance!

Diverse Hawaiian Trees

Anyone who has lived or spent a lot of time in the Mid-West and on the West Coast understands how seeing trees can affect you. It is common to feel strange going from a few trees on the landscape to nothing but trees. A visit to Honolulu, Hawaii will certainly provide you with the opportunity to see trees that you’ve probably never seen before.

These are some of the most diverse and amazing types of trees. Some are associated with the produce that grows here naturally, like coconut, pineapple, and macadamia. There are other types that grow here but originate from far away. The different types of trees and their growth patterns are another thing that makes the city stand out.

You can see humongous exhibits of these virtually everywhere from the city, the beach, and the mountains. The stunning displays make one wonder what soil is capable of producing such wonderful acts of nature. According to Garden Guides, there are 10 types of soil that exists in various parts of the country. Hawaii is the only state that happens to contain them all, which serves to enhance growth.

Norfolk Island Pine Trees

Your first look at these large trees may identify them as some type of pine true but not one you’ve probably seen before. The Norfolk Island Pine originates from this small island which is situated between New Zealand and New Caledonia in the Pacific. Its broad arm-like branches spread out and display pine attributes. These are often used as alternate Christmas trees in Honolulu during the holidays.

Banyan Trees

These intimidating trees are also referred to as Indian Banyan Trees, which are fichus examples. Many of these can grow quite large with extremely broad and spreading branches and alternate trunks. Most who see these trees for the first time may be intrigued. These trees grow and tend to drop aerial roots, which grow until they touch the ground. At this point, the roots become trunks of their own.

Tours around the city will show tourists many vibrant and gorgeous trees. Although island destinations are commonly associated with palm trees, they are not the only ones that are populous. These are only one of the different trees that can be found on this popular island. These are fine examples of why the soil here encourages the mature growth of plants, produce trees, and others.